The invention pertains to a device for the extension of the spine for spinal column extension with a base part and a carrier part affixed thereto, on the upper section of which is located an attachment element for the transfer part for the traction acting upon the body to be treated, while the height of the attachment element is adjustable in relation to the base part.
Such a device is known from the prospectus xe2x80x9cLOSSING(copyright) Necktrac(copyright) Digital Electronic Load Sensor (Model 6911)xe2x80x9d from 1994 with the number xe2x80x9cOR360xe2x80x9d of Lossing Orthopedic, Inc., Minneapolis, Minn., U.S.A.
xe2x80x9cbase partxe2x80x9d is understood to be the part of the device usually lying on the floor, or possibly also on the slab of a treatment table, on which the body of the patient to be treated rests directly or indirectly, and which as a rule is held securely in place by the weight of the patient""s body.
The carrier part is a part projecting up therefrom, on which, in the aforesaid state of the art, the neck loop is affixed by a cable to an overhead attachment point. The neck loop is placed around the head of the patient and the head of the patient is drawn toward the attachment element by shortening the cable with the usual means (direct traction, pulley block or the like) and the cervical spinal column is extended thereby. As a rule, the patient is so positioned that his head is directed toward the carrier part and the back of the patient is toward the base part.
Since, depending upon the problem to be treated, different parts of the cervical spinal column are to be extended, the height of the attachment element in relation to the base part is adjustable, whereby the connecting line from the loop to the attachment point is variable. Here it is disadvantageous that the patient must then slide on the base part in order to reach the desired tension angle. In the case of the cited device, it is also disadvantageous that other parts of the spinal column, e.g., the pelvic area, cannot be treated therewith, so that an additional device is required.
Accordingly, the invention specifies a device of the cited type, which is simpler yet more versatile to employ than the devices known heretofore for spinal column extension. This is achieved according to the invention in that the carrier part is articulately joined to the base part. The solution according to the invention has the following specific advantages:
With the articulation of the carrier part, the height and separation adjustments between the head of the patient and the attachment element can be simultaneously made when the carrier part is pivoted away behind the head of the patient (as a rule in the plane of symmetry of the entire device). Then it is no longer necessary for the body of the patient to be displaced on the base part, which routinely led to difficulties due to the displacement of the intervening mats and similar problems when the device was employed.
When, on the other hand, the carrier part is pivoted in the direction of the base part, then with appropriate positioning the attachment element can be swung over the middle of the body of the patient and then a loin belt can be affixed to the attachment element, which makes it possible to stretch the lumbar spinal column, as it is described, e.g., in the prospectus xe2x80x9cBacktrac (90/90) Traction(copyright) Classic Clinic Package Model 491) of the aforementioned Lossing Orthopedic, Inc., 1994, No. OR94-071.
The device according to the invention can therefore fulfill the functions of two devices of the state of the art, which obviously results in appreciable cost savings and an easier transportability of the entire equipment.
Preferably, the carrier part can be locked in various pivoted positions.
It is entirely feasible that the pivoting movement of the carrier part strikes a stop in two end positions, which represent an ordinary position for extension of the cervical spinal column and an ordinary position for extension of the lumbar spinal column. It is decidedly more advantageous, however, when the carrier part can be simply arrested at various pivoting angles and is releasable from this arrestability, while the settings are preferably adjustable in 15xc2x0 steps. Ideally, the carrier part is pivotable from the vertical to 55xc2x0 in the base part/patient direction for the lumbar spinal column extension and in the other direction pivotable from the vertical by 60xc2x0 from the base part/patient for the cervical spinal column extension.
The pivoting line of the carrier part is preferably in a vertical plane.
When a lateral pivotability is also imaginable, a pivoting in the plane of the longitudinal axis of the body of the patient is meaningful and sufficient as a rule.
Preferably, the carrier part is designed as a U-bend open at the bottom, ideally a U-shaped bend of pipe.
Here the distance between the arms preferably and approximately corresponds with the width of the shoulders of the patient. The carrier part can then be simply swung over the patient without the patient colliding therewith. Furthermore, the patient can, with suitable attachment to the ends of the arms, disengage and reengage the locking mechanisms and change the angle of inclination of the carrier part without changing his own position.
Preferably, the base part is designed as a U-shaped bend open toward the carrier part, ideally a U-shaped bend of pipe, the ends of the arms of which are articulately joined to the ends of the arms of the carrier part.
This results in a device which is overall very easy and simple to transport.
In a practical sense, the pivotability of the two U-shaped pipe bends is so designed that in a special position they can be folded together, so that the entire device is completely flat and can be easily transported accordingly.